# Foreign relations of the Netherlands

The foreign policy of the Netherlands is based on four basic commitments: to the Atlantic cooperation, to European integration, to international development and to international law. While historically the Kingdom of the Netherlands was a neutral state, since 1945 it has become a member of NATO, the United Nations, the European Union and many other international organizations. The Dutch economy is very open and relies on international trade. During and after the 17th century—its Golden Age—the Dutch built up a commercial and colonial empire. It was a leading shipping and naval power and was often at war with England, its main rival. Its main colonial holding was Indonesia, which fought for and achieved independence after 1945. The historical ties inherited from its colonial past still influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Foreign trade policy is handled by the European Union. The Dutch have been active in international peacekeeping roles.

## History

In the Dutch Golden Age, which had its zenith around 1667, there was a flowering of trade, industry, the arts and the sciences. A rich worldwide Dutch empire developed and the Dutch East India Company became one of the earliest and most important of national mercantile companies based on entrepreneurship and trade.
During the 18th century, the power and wealth of the Netherlands declined. A series of wars with the more powerful British and French neighbors weakened it. Britain seized the North American colony of New Amsterdam, turning it into New York. There was growing unrest and conflict between the Orangists and the Patriots. The French Revolution spilled over after 1789, and a pro-French Batavian Republic was established in 1795–1806. Napoleon made it a satellite state, the Kingdom of Holland (1806–1810), and later simply a French imperial province.
In 1815–1940 it was neutral and played a minor role in world diplomacy, apart from a failed effort to control the seceding Southern provinces that became Belgium before giving up in 1839.
Unlike most European countries, the Netherlands succeeded in remaining neutral throughout The Great War. This approach failed during the Second World War however and the kingdom quickly fell to an unprovoked German invasion in 1940 and would remain under Nazi occupation until being liberated by the allies in 1945. After the war, as a member of the allies, the Netherlands was included in the first class of U.N. members. During the Cold War like most Western European countries, the Dutch aligned with the United States against the Soviet Union, co-founding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in 1949. The Dutch were also at the forefront of promoting European cooperation and integration during this time period; co-founding the European Coal and Steel Community and becoming one of the European Union's (EU) original members.

## European integration

The Dutch have been strong advocates of European integration, and most aspects of their foreign, economic, and trade policies are coordinated through the European Union (EU). The Dutch postwar customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg (the Benelux group) paved the way for the formation of the European Community (precursor to the EU), of which the Netherlands was a founding member. Likewise, the Benelux abolition of internal border controls was a model for the wider Schengen Accord, which today has 29 European signatories (including the Netherlands) pledged to common visa policies and free movement of people across common borders.
The Dutch stood at the cradle of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty and have been the architects of the Treaty of Amsterdam concluded in 1998. The Dutch have thus played an important role in European political and monetary integration; indeed, until the year 2003, Dutchman Wim Duisenberg headed the European Central Bank. In addition, Dutch financial minister Gerrit Zalm was the main critic of the violation of the Stability and Growth Pact by France and Germany in 2004 and 2005.

## Involvement in developing countries

The Netherlands was the 9th-largest donor country in 2021, giving about $5 billion, about 0.5% of its gross national income (GNI), in official development assistance (ODA). The country contributes through multilateral channels, especially the United Nations Development Programme, the international financial institutions, and EU programs. A large portion of Dutch aid funds is also channeled through private ("co-financing") organizations that have almost total autonomy in choice of projects.
The Netherlands is a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which recently initiated economic reforms in central Europe. The Dutch strongly support the Middle East peace process and in 1998 earmarked $29 million in contributions to international donor-coordinated activities for the occupied territories and also for projects in which they worked directly with Palestinian authorities. These projects included improving environmental conditions and support for multilateral programs in cooperation with local non-governmental organizations. In 1998, the Dutch provided significant amounts of aid to the former Yugoslavia and Africa. The Dutch consistently provide significant amounts of humanitarian relief aid to the victims of the worst natural disasters, such as Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in South and Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and more recent catastrophes in Pakistan and Burma including Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, and the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

## Export assistance grants

"Developing countries aspiring to purchase foreign goods and services to invest in, inter alia, port facilities, roads, public transport, health care, or drinking water facilities may be eligible for a special Dutch grant facility. The grant facility, known as ORET (a Dutch acronym for Ontwikkelingsrelevante Exporttransacties, or Development-Related Export) serves to award grants to governments of developing countries for making payments to foreign suppliers."

## International organizations

As a relatively small country, the Netherlands generally pursues its foreign policy interests within the framework of multilateral organizations. The Netherlands is an active and responsible participant in the United Nations system as well as other multilateral organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization (WTO), and International Monetary Fund.
The Netherlands is one of the founding members of what today is the European Union. It was one of the first countries to start European integration, through the Benelux in 1944 and the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952. Being a small country with a history of neutrality it was the host country for the important Maastricht Treaty and Amsterdam Treaty and is the seat of the International Court of Justice.

## International issues

The Dutch work with the U.S. and other countries on international programs against drug trafficking and organized crime. The Dutch-U.S. cooperation focuses on joint anti-drug operations in the Caribbean, including an agreement establishing Forward Operating Locations on the Dutch Kingdom islands of Curaçao and Aruba. The Netherlands is a signatory to international counter-narcotics agreements, a member of the United Nations International Drug Control Program, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and is a contributor to international counter-narcotics.
From June 26 until December 22, 2006, two children, Ammar (12–13) and Sara (10–11), lived in the Dutch embassy in Damascus because of a child custody dispute between the Dutch mother, supported by Dutch law and the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and the Syrian father, supported by Syrian law (Syria is no participant of this convention). The children had been living in Syria since 2004, after an alleged international child abduction by the father from the Netherlands to Syria, during a family contact in which he supposedly would visit Paris with them. The children fled to the embassy because they would like to live with their mother in the Netherlands. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ben Bot traveled to Damascus, negotiated and on December 22 the children finally could return to the Netherlands.
The father claims that the Dutch government has promised not to prosecute him for the abduction. However, a Dutch prosecutor claims that he is free to prosecute the father and may well do that and that the Dutch have only retracted the international request to arrest him outside the Netherlands.
Mark Rutte's government provided materials to the Levant Front rebel group in Syria. In September 2018, the Dutch public prosecution department declared the Levant Front to be a "criminal organisation of terrorist intent", describing it as a "salafist and jihadistic" group that "strives for the setting up of the caliphate".
In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including the Netherlands, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang internment camps.

## Diplomatic relations

List of countries which the Netherlands maintains diplomatic relations with:
Date :
| 1 | United Kingdom | 1 April 1603 |
| 2 | Denmark | 31 March 1605 |
| 3 | Russia | 1613 |
| 4 | Sweden | April 1614 |
| 5 | Portugal | February 1641 |
| 6 | Spain | 29 June 1649 |
| 7 | France | 28 July 1749 |
| 8 | United States | 19 April 1782 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 31 January 1814 |
| 10 | Mexico | 15 June 1827 |
| 11 | Brazil | 20 December 1828 |
| 12 | Colombia | 1 May 1829 |
| — | Holy See | May 1829 |
| 13 | Belgium | 3 August 1839 |
| 14 | Costa Rica | 12 July 1852 |
| 15 | Dominican Republic | 30 November 1853 |
| 16 | Japan | 30 January 1856 |
| 17 | Venezuela | 22 March 1856 |
| 18 | Guatemala | 22 March 1856 |
| 19 | Greece | 18 April 1856 |
| 20 | El Salvador | 1857 |
| 21 | Italy | 15 September 1859 |
| 22 | Thailand | 17 December 1860 |
| 23 | Chile | 9 January 1872 |
| 24 | Ecuador | 12 May 1872 |
| 25 | Romania | 12 February 1880 |
| 26 | Iran | 5 January 1883 |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 4 March 1891 |
| 28 | Argentina | 24 January 1896 |
| 29 | Uruguay | 15 April 1896 |
| 30 | Serbia | 26 April 1899 |
| 31 | Cuba | 20 May 1902 |
| 32 | Paraguay | 9 November 1903 |
| 33 | Panama | 20 April 1904 |
| 34 | Norway | 4 December 1905 |
| 35 | Bulgaria | 8 July 1909 |
| 36 | Bolivia | 21 July 1911 |
| 37 | Haiti | 21 November 1912 |
| 38 | Finland | 14 August 1918 |
| 39 | Poland | 4 July 1919 |
| 40 | Czech Republic | 13 November 1919 |
| 41 | Austria | 19 January 1920 |
| 42 | Hungary | 14 January 1921 |
| 43 | Peru | 13 May 1921 |
| 44 | Egypt | 16 November 1922 |
| 45 | Turkey | 5 August 1925 |
| 46 | South Africa | 25 November 1929 |
| 47 | Saudi Arabia | 9 June 1930 |
| 48 | Iraq | 10 May 1935 |
| 49 | Canada | 3 January 1939 |
| 50 | Australia | 1 February 1942 |
| 51 | Ireland | 1945 |
| 52 | Iceland | 9 January 1946 |
| 53 | Honduras | 16 March 1946 |
| 54 | India | 17 April 1947 |
| 55 | New Zealand | 19 June 1947 |
| 56 | Myanmar | 22 December 1947 |
| 57 | Pakistan | July 1948 |
| 58 | Liberia | 3 May 1949 |
| 59 | Indonesia | October 1949 |
| 60 | Israel | 11 September 1950 |
| 61 | Lebanon | 12 October 1950 |
| 62 | Ethiopia | 6 November 1950 |
| 63 | Germany | 6 March 1951 |
| 64 | Philippines | 17 May 1951 |
| 65 | Sri Lanka | 23 November 1951 |
| 66 | Jordan | 15 December 1951 |
| 67 | Syria | 24 January 1952 |
| 68 | Libya | 1955 |
| — | Nicaragua (suspended) | 1955 |
| 69 | Sudan | 15 February 1956 |
| 70 | Afghanistan | 2 August 1956 |
| 71 | Morocco | 1956 |
| 72 | Malaysia | 31 August 1957 |
| 73 | Cambodia | 28 November 1957 |
| 74 | Tunisia | February 1958 |
| 75 | Ghana | 9 May 1959 |
| 76 | Guinea | 9 March 1960 |
| 77 | Nepal | 2 April 1960 |
| 78 | Somalia | 7 July 1960 |
| 79 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 25 July 1960 |
| 80 | Cyprus | 24 September 1960 |
| 81 | Nigeria | October 1960 |
| 82 | Madagascar | 16 March 1961 |
| 83 | South Korea | 4 April 1961 |
| 84 | Republic of the Congo | 3 August 1961 |
| 85 | Gabon | 24 August 1961 |
| 86 | Togo | 5 October 1961 |
| 87 | Senegal | 7 November 1961 |
| 88 | Cameroon | 2 December 1961 |
| 89 | Burkina Faso | 14 December 1961 |
| 90 | Niger | 20 December 1961 |
| 91 | Benin | 26 December 1961 |
| 92 | Ivory Coast | 9 January 1962 |
| 93 | Sierra Leone | 22 February 1962 |
| 94 | Mauritania | 9 March 1962 |
| 95 | Tanzania | 31 March 1962 |
| 96 | Chad | 7 May 1962 |
| 97 | Burundi | 4 July 1962 |
| 98 | Jamaica | 2 August 1962 |
| 99 | Trinidad and Tobago | 19 October 1962 |
| 100 | Algeria | October 1962 |
| 101 | Kenya | 3 February 1964 |
| 102 | Mali | 11 July 1964 |
| 103 | Rwanda | 1 October 1964 |
| 104 | Kuwait | 1964 |
| 105 | Malta | 6 October 1965 |
| 106 | Zambia | 2 November 1965 |
| 107 | Singapore | 7 December 1965 |
| 108 | Central African Republic | 10 December 1965 |
| 109 | Malawi | 16 December 1965 |
| 110 | Uganda | 1965 |
| 111 | Gambia | 1 August 1966 |
| 112 | Monaco | 29 August 1966 |
| 113 | Botswana | 10 August 1967 |
| 114 | Lesotho | 22 February 1968 |
| 115 | Eswatini | 1968 |
| 116 | Mauritius | 5 March 1969 |
| 117 | Barbados | 12 December 1969 |
| 118 | Equatorial Guinea | 1969 |
| 119 | Guyana | 15 May 1970 |
| 120 | Albania | 17 November 1970 |
| 121 | Yemen | 5 October 1971 |
| 122 | Oman | 1 January 1972 |
| 123 | Bangladesh | 11 February 1972 |
| 124 | Fiji | February 1972 |
| 125 | Mongolia | 6 March 1972 |
| 126 | Bahrain | 2 May 1972 |
| 127 | United Arab Emirates | 6 May 1972 |
| 128 | China | 18 May 1972 |
| 129 | Qatar | 15 June 1972 |
| 130 | Vietnam | 9 April 1973 |
| 131 | Bahamas | 28 March 1974 |
| 132 | Mozambique | 25 June 1975 |
| 133 | Guinea-Bissau | 13 August 1975 |
| 134 | Tonga | 4 November 1975 |
| 135 | Laos | 17 November 1975 |
| 136 | Suriname | 25 November 1975 |
| 137 | Angola | 18 February 1976 |
| 138 | Samoa | 13 April 1976 |
| 139 | Papua New Guinea | 25 August 1976 |
| 140 | Cape Verde | 20 November 1976 |
| 141 | Seychelles | 18 January 1977 |
| 142 | Comoros | 21 February 1977 |
| 143 | Maldives | 3 September 1979 |
| 144 | Zimbabwe | 18 April 1980 |
| 145 | Kiribati | 6 June 1980 |
| 146 | Dominica | 1980 |
| 147 | Saint Lucia | 1980 |
| 148 | Djibouti | 10 February 1981 |
| 149 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 8 April 1981 |
| 150 | Solomon Islands | 1 February 1982 |
| 151 | Vanuatu | 9 March 1982 |
| 152 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 May 1982 |
| 153 | Nauru | 1982 |
| 154 | Brunei | 27 April 1985 |
| 155 | Bhutan | 10 June 1985 |
| 156 | Belize | 13 April 1987 |
| 157 | Namibia | 23 April 1990 |
| 158 | Latvia | 24 September 1991 |
| 159 | Estonia | 21 October 1991 |
| 160 | Liechtenstein | 20 November 1991 |
| 161 | Lithuania | 3 December 1991 |
| 162 | Slovenia | 24 January 1992 |
| 163 | Armenia | 30 January 1992 |
| 164 | Croatia | 11 February 1992 |
| 165 | Belarus | 24 March 1992 |
| 166 | Azerbaijan | 1 April 1992 |
| 167 | Ukraine | 1 April 1992 |
| 168 | Georgia | 22 April 1992 |
| 169 | Turkmenistan | 20 May 1992 |
| 170 | Kyrgyzstan | 10 June 1992 |
| 171 | Tajikistan | 27 July 1992 |
| 172 | Kazakhstan | 10 September 1992 |
| 173 | Uzbekistan | 24 November 1992 |
| 174 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15 December 1992 |
| 175 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 |
| 176 | Marshall Islands | 2 March 1993 |
| 177 | Moldova | 10 July 1993 |
| 178 | Andorra | 14 December 1993 |
| 179 | North Macedonia | 16 December 1993 |
| 180 | Eritrea | 15 July 1994 |
| 181 | San Marino | 1995 |
| 182 | Federated States of Micronesia | 15 April 1996 |
| 183 | Palau | 21 April 1997 |
| 184 | North Korea | 15 December 2000 |
| 185 | Timor-Leste | 17 November 2003 |
| 186 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | March 2004 |
| 187 | Montenegro | 8 September 2006 |
| — | Kosovo | 27 June 2008 |
| — | Cook Islands | 16 August 2011 |
| 188 | South Sudan | 9 September 2011 |
| 189 | Grenada | Unknown |
| 190 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Unknown |
| 191 | Tuvalu | Unknown |

## Bilateral relations
### Africa

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Burkina Faso | 14 December 1961 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 December 1961 Burkina Faso is represented in the Netherlands by its embassy in Brussels, Belgium and an honorary consulate in Rotterdam. The Netherlands are represented in Burkina Faso by their embassy in Bamako, Mali. |
| Comoros | | Comoros are represented in the Netherlands by their embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Netherlands are represented in the Comoros by their embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| Egypt | 16 November 1922 | See Egypt–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 November 1922 when Mr. J. P. graaf van Limburg Stirum was accredited as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to Egypt. Egypt has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Cairo. |
| Ethiopia | 6 November 1950 | See Ethiopia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 November 1950 Ethiopia is accredited to the Netherlands from its embassy in Brussels. Netherlands has an embassy in Addis Ababa. |
| Ivory Coast | 9 January 1962 | See Ivory Coast–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 January 1962 Ivory Coast has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Abidjan. |
| Kenya | 3 February 1964 | See Kenya–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 February 1964 Kenya has an embassy in The Hague. the Netherlands has an embassy in Nairobi. |
| Liberia | 3 May 1949 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 May 1949. Also both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 March 1936 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Liberia to the Netherlands Baron Otto van den Bogaerde van Terbrugge. |
| Mauritania | 9 March 1962 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 March 1962 Mauritania is represented in the Netherlands by its embassy in Brussels, Belgium and an honorary consulate in Midwoud. The Netherlands are represented in Mauritania by their embassy in Dakar, Senegal. |
| Morocco | | See Morocco–Netherlands relations Morocco has an embassy in The Hague and four consulates-general in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, 's-Hertogenbosch, and in Utrecht. Netherlands has an embassy in Rabat and a consulate-general in Casablanca. |
| South Africa | | See Netherlands–South Africa relations Netherlands has an embassy in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Cape Town. South Africa has an embassy in The Hague. See also: Dutch immigration to South Africa |

### Americas

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Argentina | 24 January 1896 | See Argentina–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1896. Argentina has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Buenos Aires. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is originally from Argentina. See also: Dutch Argentine |
| Bolivia | 21 July 1911 | See Bolivia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 July 1911. Bolivia has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands is accredited to Bolivia from its embassy in Lima, Peru. |
| Brazil | | See Brazil–Netherlands relations Brazil has an embassy in The Hague and a consulate-general in Rotterdam. Netherlands has an embassy in Brasília and two consulates-general in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. See also: Dutch Brazilian |
| Canada | 3 January 1939 | See Canada–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 January 1939 Canada has an embassy in The Hague and the Netherlands has one in Ottawa, and three Consulates-General in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Canada and the Netherlands have worked closely together on many foreign issues and enjoy an especially close relationship. To foster business and commercial relations between the Netherlands and Canada, the Dutch business community set up the Netherlands-Canadian Chamber of Commerce. They are both members of the United Nations (and its Specialized Agencies), the World Trade Organization, and Interpol; they are both founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. Canada and the Netherlands also work together on such issues as the prohibition and elimination of anti-personnel mines, the control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, eradicating the worst forms of child labour, the provision of rapid reaction peacekeeping forces to the United Nations (SHIRBRIG) and regional security issues such as Bosnia (SFOR) and Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). Canada has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Ottawa and four consulates-general in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. See also: Canadians of Dutch descent |
| Chile | 10 June 1872 | See Chile–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 June 1872. Chile has an embassy in The Hague and a consulate-general in Amsterdam. Netherlands has an embassy in Santiago. |
| Colombia | 1829 | See Colombia–Netherlands relations Relations between Colombia and the Netherlands were established in 1829. Colombia has an embassy in The Hague and two consulates-general in Amsterdam and Oranjestad, and a consulate in Willemstad. Netherlands has an embassy in Bogotá and a consulate-general in Barranquilla. |
| Costa Rica | 12 July 1852 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1852. Costa Rica has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in San José. |
| Cuba | 20 May 1902 | See Cuba–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 May 1902. Cuba has an embassy in The Hague and two consulates-general in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Netherlands has an embassy in Havana. |
| Dominica | | Dominica is represented in the Netherlands by its embassy in London, United Kingdom. The Netherlands are represented in Dominica by their embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. |
| Dominican Republic | 18 March 1892 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 18 March 1892 Dominican Republic has an embassy in The Hague and consulates-general in Amsterdam, Philipsburg, and Willemstad. Netherlands has an embassy in Santo Domingo. |
| El Salvador | | El Salvador has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands is accredited to El Salvador from its embassy in San José, Costa Rica. |
| Guyana | 15 May 1970 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 May 1970. Guyana was made up of three former Dutch colonies: (Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo (colony)) which were brought together by the British and renamed collectively British Guiana. |
| Honduras | 16 May 1946 | See Honduras–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 May 1946 when has been accredited Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to Hohduras with residence in Guatemala Mr. G. M. Bijvanck. Honduras is accredited to Netherlands from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Netherlands is accredited to Honduras from its embassy in San José, Costa Rica. and an honorary consulates in Tegucigalpa. |
| Mexico | 16 June 1828 | See Mexico–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 June 1828. On September 27, 1993, the Netherlands Ministry of Finance announced The Netherlands – Mexico Tax Treaty and Protocol. The regulations detail the formalities residents of the Netherlands must observe "in order to be exempt from, or obtain a refund of, the Mexican withholding taxes on dividends, interest and royalties." In 2008 Mexico and the Netherlands modified their existing tax treaty, initially signed in 1993 to strength cooperation to curb tax evasion. Mexico has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Mexico City. |
| Peru | | See Netherlands–Peru relations Netherlands has an embassy in Lima. Peru has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Suriname | 1975-25-11 | See Netherlands–Suriname relations Netherlands has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in The Hague and two consulates-general in Amsterdam and in Willemstad, Curaçao. See also: Dutch Surinamese |
| United States | 19 April 1782 | See Netherlands–United States relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 April 1782 The bilateral relations between the two nations are based on historical and cultural ties as well as a common dedication to individual freedom and human rights. The Netherlands shares with the United States a liberal economic outlook and is committed to free trade. The Netherlands is the third-largest direct foreign investor in the United States, and Dutch holding companies employ more than 650,000 Americans. The United States is the third-largest direct foreign investor in the Netherlands. The United States and the Netherlands often have similar positions on issues and work together both bilaterally and multilaterally in such institutions as the United Nations and NATO. The Dutch have worked with the United States at the World Trade Organization, in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as within the European Union to advance the shared U.S. goal of a more open and market-led global economy. The United States and the Netherlands joined NATO as charter members in 1949. The Dutch were allies with the United States in the Korean War and the first Gulf War and have been active in global peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Netherlands also support and participate in NATO and EU training efforts in Iraq. They are active participants in the International Security Assistance Force and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Netherlands has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulates general in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York City, and San Francisco. United States has an embassy in The Hague and two consulates-general in Amsterdam and Willemstad, Curaçao. See also: Dutch American |
| Uruguay | 15 April 1896 | See Netherlands–Uruguay relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 April 1896 Netherlands is accredited to Uruguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires. Uruguay has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Venezuela | | See Netherlands–Venezuela relations Netherlands has an embassy in Caracas. Venezuela has an embassy in The Hague and consulates-general in Kralendijk, Oranjestad, and Willemstad. |

### Asia

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Afghanistan | 2 August 1956 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 August 1956 when first Envoy of Afgnanistan Dr. Sardir Najib-Ullah Khan presented his credentials to Queen of the Netherlands. Afghanistan has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands closed its embassy in Kabul in 2021. |
| Armenia | 30 January 1992 | See Armenia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 January 1992. Armenia has an embassy in The Hague and two honorary consulates in Amsterdam, and Hilversum. The Netherlands has an embassy in Yerevan. There are around 20,000 people of Armenian descent living in Amsterdam and another 10,000 in Alkmaar. The Netherlands has recognized the Armenian genocide in 2004. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. |
| Azerbaijan | 1 April 1992 | See Azerbaijan–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 April 1992. Azerbaijan has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands has an embassy in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. |
| Bangladesh | 1971-01-04 | See Bangladesh–Netherlands relations Bangladesh has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Dhaka. |
| Bhutan | 10 June 1985 | See Foreign relations of Bhutan Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 June 1985 Bhutan is represented to the Netherlands through embassy in Brussels. Netherlands is represented to Bhutan through embassy in Delhi. |
| China | 18 May 1972 | See China–Netherlands relations China has an embassy in The Hague and a consulate-general in Willemstad, Curaçao. Netherlands has an embassy in Beijing and five consulates-general in Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. |
| Georgia | 22 April 1992 | See Georgia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 April 1992. Georgia has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands has an embassy in Tbilisi. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. Georgia is an EU candidate and the Netherlands is an EU member. |
| India | 17 April 1947 | See India–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 April 1947 India has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Delhi and consulates-general Bangalore and Mumbai. |
| Indonesia | | See Indonesia–Netherlands relations Indonesia has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Jakarta. |
| Iran | 5 January 1883 | See Iran–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 January 1883 when Mirza Jawad Khan, Persian Minister in Belgium, was also accredited to the Netherlands. Iran has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Tehran. |
| Iraq | 10 May 1935 | See Iraq–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 May 1935 when has been accredited Chargé d'Affaires of Netherlands to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) C. Adriaanse also to Iraq. Iraq has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Baghdad and a consulate-general in Erbil. |
| Israel | 1949 | See Israel–Netherlands relations In 1947, the Netherlands voted in favor of the United Nations Resolution 181. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1949. Israel has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy at the Ramat Gan in Tel Aviv, and two honorary consulates in Eilat and Haifa. |
| Japan | 1609 | See Japan–Netherlands relations Relations between Japan and the Netherlands date back to 1609, when the first formal trade relations were established. The relations between Japan and the Netherlands after 1945 have been a triangular relationship. The invasion and occupation of the Netherlands East Indies during World War II, brought about the destruction of the colonial state in Indonesia, as the Japanese removed as much of the Dutch government as they could, weakening the post war grip the Netherlands had over the territory. Under pressure from the United States, the Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty in 1949 (see United States of Indonesia). Japan has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Tokyo and a consulate-general in Osaka. |
| Kazakhstan | 10 September 1992 | See Kazakhstan–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 September 1992. The Netherlands is Kazakhstan's largest foreign investor and the second largest European Union partner in terms of foreign trade turnover with Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Astana. |
| Kyrgyzstan | | Kyrgyzstan is accredited to the Netherlands from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. the Netherlands is accredited to Kyrgyzstan from its embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan. |
| Malaysia | 31 August 1957 | See Malaysia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 August 1957. The graves of Dutch dignitaries in Melaka's ruined St. Paul's Church. The Dutch involvement in the Malay Peninsula used to be much more extensive than it is now. The Dutch established relations with the Sultanate of Johor in the early 17th century, and in 1641 they captured the Portuguese colony of Malacca (on the south-eastern coast of today's Peninsular Malaysia). With a long interruption during the Napoleonic Wars, the Dutch Malacca era lasted until 1824. In the 20th century, the Netherlands established diplomatic relations with Malaysia soon after the Asian state became independent. The erudite Dutch Sinologist and author Robert van Gulik (who was raised in the former Dutch East Indies himself) served as the ambassador of the Netherlands in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s. During his diplomatic service there he became closely acquainted with Malaysia's gibbons (he kept a few in his ambassadorial residence) and became sufficiently interested in this ape species to start the study of its role in ancient Chinese culture, the results of which he later published in his last book (Gibbon in China). Netherlands has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Oman | | See Foreign relations of Oman Netherlands has an embassy in Muscat. Oman has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Pakistan | 1947-15-8 | See Netherlands–Pakistan relations Netherlands has an embassy in Islamabad and a consulate-general in Karachi. Pakistan has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Philippines | 20 May 1947 | See Netherlands–Philippines relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 May 1947. Netherlands has an embassy in Manila. Philippines has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Saudi Arabia | 9 June 1930 | See Netherlands–Saudi Arabia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 June 1930 when first the Netherlands Chargé d'Affaires, M. Van de Meulen, presented letters of credence to King Ibn Saud. Netherlands has an embassy in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Singapore | 7 December 1965 | See Netherlands–Singapore relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 December 1965. Netherlands has an embassy in Singapore. Singapore is represented in the Netherlands through its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. |
| South Korea | 1961-01-04 | The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of the Netherlands began on April 1, 1961. Relations between the Netherlands and South Korea are excellent. The Netherlands are known in the country, thanks to increasing trade and the investments made by Dutch businesses. Political relations South Koreans still appreciate the contribution made by Dutch troops, serving under the UN flag, during the Korean War of 1950–1953. The Netherlands was an ally to South Korea throughout the war, against communist North Korea (backed by the Soviet Union). The Netherlands still monitors developments between South Korea and North Korea with interest, and remain an ally. In 2011 the Netherlands and South Korea marked 50 years of diplomatic relations. The Netherlands frequently serves as an example to South Korea, for example in the areas of development cooperation and water management. In 2011, for instance, a South Korean delegation visited parts of the Room for the River project – designed to make the Dutch river delta safer by 2015 – to gain inspiration for a South Korean water management plan. The Netherlands has a Working Holiday Program Agreement with South Korea. Citizens of both countries can live and work in the other for up to two years. Netherlands has an embassy in Seoul. South Korea has an embassy in the Hague. The number of the South Korean citizens living in the Netherlands in 2012 was about 2,602. |
| Syria | 24 January 1952 | See Netherlands–Syria relations |
| Taiwan | | See Netherlands–Taiwan relations |
| Turkey | 1612 | See Netherlands–Turkey relations The Netherlands has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in The Hague and three consulates-general in Amsterdam, Deventer, and Rotterdam. Both countries are full members of NATO and the Council of Europe. the Netherlands is an EU member and Turkey is an EU candidate. the Netherlands opposes Turkey's accession negotiations to the EU, although negotiations have now been suspended. |
| Turkmenistan | | the Netherlands is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan is accredited to the Netherlands from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. |
| United Arab Emirates | | the Netherlands has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and an consulate-general in Dubai. United Arab Emirates has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Vietnam | | the Netherlands has an embassy in Hanoi. Vietnam has an embassy in The Hague. |

### Europe

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Albania | 17 November 1970 | See Albania–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 1970 Albania has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Tirana. Albania is an EU candidate and The Netherlands is an EU member. |
| Austria | | See Austria–Netherlands relations Austria has an embassy in The Hague and two honorary consulates in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Netherlands has an embassy in Vienna and six honorary consulates in Bludenz, Innsbruck, Graz, Klagenfurt, Salzburg, and Linz. Both countries are full members of the European Union. |
| Belarus | 24 March 1992 | See Belarus–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 March 1992 Belarus has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands is represented in Belarus through its embassy in Warsaw, Poland, and through an honorary consulate in Minsk. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. |
| Belgium | 3 August 1839 | See Belgium–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 August 1839. Relations were established after the independence of Belgium. Both nations are allies and have cultural similarities. Belgium has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Brussels and a consulate-general in Antwerp. Both nations are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | 15 December 1992 | See Bosnia and Herzegovina–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Sarajevo. |
| Bulgaria | | See Bulgaria–Netherlands relations Bulgaria has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands has an embassy in Sofia. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Croatia | 11 February 1992 | See Croatia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 February 1992. Croatia has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Zagreb. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Cyprus | | See Cyprus–Netherlands relations Cyprus has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Nicosia. Both countries are full members of the European Union and of the Council of Europe. |
| Czech Republic | 13 November 1919 | See Czech Republic–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 November 1919 Czech Republic has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Prague. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Denmark | | See Denmark – Netherlands relations Both countries have had diplomatic relations since the 16th century. Denmark has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands has an embassy in Copenhagen and eight honorary consulates in Aalborg, Aarhus, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Nuuk, Odense, Rønne, and Tórshavn. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Finland | 14 August 1918 | See Finland–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 August 1918 Finland has an embassy in The Hague. the Netherlands has an embassy in Helsinki. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. the Netherlands fully supported Finland's application to join NATO, which resulted in membership on 4 April 2023. |
| France | | See France–Netherlands relations Both countries fought in the Franco-Dutch War. The two countries share a border in the Caribbean island of Saint Martin: the northern part of the island is a French overseas collectivity known as the Collectivity of Saint Martin, while the southern part of the island is a Dutch constituent country known as Sint Maarten. France maintains an embassy in The Hague and seven consulates in Amsterdam, Den Bosch, Groningen, Maastricht, Middelburg, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. The Netherlands maintains an embassy in Paris and 12 consulates in Ajaccio, Bordeaux, Brest, Calais, Le Havre, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, Strasbourg, and Toulouse. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Germany | 1871 | See Germany–Netherlands relations Germany has an embassy in The Hague and a consulate-general in Amsterdam. Netherlands has an embassy in Berlin and four consulates-general in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich. Both nations are members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Greece | | See Greece–Netherlands relations Greece has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Athens. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and of the Council of Europe. |
| Hungary | | See Hungary–Netherlands relations The Netherlands has an embassy in Budapest and an honorary consulate in Pécs. Hungary has an embassy in The Hague and six honorary consulates in Amsterdam, Arnhem, Aerdenhout, Winsum, 's-Hertogenbosch and Curaçao. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Iceland | 9 January 1946 | See Iceland–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 January 1946 Iceland is represented in the Netherlands by its embassy in Oslo, Norway. The Netherlands is represented in Iceland by its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Both countries are full members of NATO. |
| Ireland | | See Ireland–Netherlands relations Ireland has an embassy in The Hague and a consulate-general in Amsterdam. Netherlands has an embassy in Dublin. Both countries are full members of the European Union. |
| Latvia | 24 September 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 September 1991. Latvia has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Riga. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Lithuania | 3 December 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 December 1991. Lithuania has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Vilnius. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Luxembourg | | Luxembourg has an embassy in The Hague. the Netherlands has an embassy in Luxembourg City. Both countries are full members of the European Union and of NATO. |
| Malta | | Malta has an embassy in The Hague. the Netherlands has an embassy in Valletta. Both countries are full members of the European Union. |
| Moldova | 10 July 1992 | See Moldova–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1992 Moldova has an embassy in The Hague and an honorary consulate in Amsterdam. The Netherlands is represented in Moldova through its embassy in Bucharest (Romania) and through an honorary consulate in Chișinău. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. Moldova is an EU candidate and the Netherlands is an EU member. |
| Montenegro | | Montenegro has an embassy in The Hague. the Netherlands is accredited to Montenegro from its embassy in Belgrade, Serbia. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and of NATO. Montenegro is an EU candidate and the Netherlands is an EU member. |
| Poland | 4 July 1919 | See Netherlands–Poland relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 July 1919 Netherlands has an embassy in Warsaw. Poland has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Portugal | | See Netherlands–Portugal relations Netherlands has an embassy in Lisbon. Portugal has an embassy in The Hague. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and of the Council of Europe. |
| Romania | 12 February 1880 | See Netherlands–Romania relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 February 1880 The Netherlands has an embassy in Bucharest and three honorary consulates. Romania has an embassy in The Hague and four honorary consulates. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Russia | | See Netherlands–Russia relations Both countries were establishment of diplomatic relations in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union. Peter the Great studied in Holland. During the Cold War, all the Dutch consecutive governments perceived the Warsaw pact including the Soviet Union and Russia as a threat to its safety. Netherlands has an embassy in Moscow, a consulate-general in Saint Petersburg, and an honorary consulate in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Russia has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Serbia | 1899-04-26 | Netherlands has an embassy in Belgrade. Serbia has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands is a European Union member and Serbia is a candidate. |
| Slovakia | 1993-01-01 | See Netherlands–Slovakia relations The Netherlands has an embassy in Bratislava. Slovakia has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Slovenia | 1991-06-25 | See Netherlands–Slovenia relations The Netherlands has an embassy in Ljubljana. Slovenia has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Spain | | See Netherlands–Spain relations Netherlands has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in The Hague. Both nations are members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Sweden | | See Netherlands–Sweden relations the Netherlands has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. the Netherlands fully supported Sweden's application to join NATO, which resulted in membership on 7 March 2024. |
| Switzerland | | the Netherlands has an embassy in Bern. Switzerland has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. |
| Ukraine | 1 April 1992 | See Netherlands–Ukraine relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 April 1992 The Netherlands has an embassy in Kyiv and a consulate in Lviv. Ukraine has an embassy in The Hague. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. the Netherlands is an EU member and Ukraine is an EU candidate. |
| United Kingdom | 1 April 1603 | See Netherlands–United Kingdom relations The UK established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 1 April 1603. The Netherlands maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to the Netherlands through its embassy in The Hague. Both countries share common membership of the Atlantic co-operation pact, Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, OSCE, and the World Trade Organization. |

### Oceania

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Australia | 31 January 1942 | See Australia–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 January 1942. Australia has an embassy in The Hague. Netherlands has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney. |
| New Zealand | 19 June 1947 | See Netherlands–New Zealand relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 June 1947. Netherlands has an embassy in Wellington. New Zealand has an embassy in The Hague. |
| Solomon Islands | 1 February 1982 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 February 1982 Netherlands is accredited to the Solomon Islands from its embassy in Canberra, Australia. Solomon Islands is accredited to the Netherlands from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. |
| Vanuatu | | Vanuatu has an honorary consulate in The Hague. |